POTICHE --The audience spontaneously burst into applause as the credits roll!

Catherine Deneuve stars as Suzanne, a woman coming into her own during the late seventies. The servants take care of the house, the mistresses take care of the husband, the husband takes care of business. Suzanne is beginning to feel that she has no place in her own life. Even her daughter openly declares that she never wants to be like her mother, a Potiche! (Trophy wife)

Then things change abruptly. Her husband, Robert is taken hostage by the rebelling employees at the umbrella factory. Suzanne persuades her old flame and her husband’s arch-enemy, Maurice Babin (Gerard Depardieu) to negotiate a release. Then Robert has a heart attack. With no one to run the factory Suzanne steps in.

As Robert takes time off to heal, Suzanne heals the rift with the striking employees, brings a fresh and inclusive management style to the factory, wins the respect of Robert’s secretary and gets both children involved in the family business. As we get to know Suzanne we see that she’s not as naive as first thought. As Maurice comments on her sensibility and logic she replies astutely, “It’s age appropriate.” When Robert returns expecting to get back to business as usual he discovers that nothing is as usual.

Catherine Deneuve looks great at age 68 and has seasoned beautifully, both in looks and acting. She gave a remarkable performance as the wife. Gerard Depardieu is like a cuddly teddy-bear. Karin Viard is excellent as the secretary, Nadege.

The plot had a couple opportunities to tie things up in a sweet little finish but bypassed them to give us a strong ending. Thank goodness!

Go see POTICHE at Tara Cinema with your girlfriends, your mother and your daughters!